More Memories From Long Ago

So in May 1975, I was about to finish as a sophomore in high school- I had decided I would be a mid-term graduate my senior year so I had class each period of the day instead of study hall. I worked hard to get that. I wasn't one of the "cool kids". Instead, I was from across the river. However, my dad was from Brownsville and knew the principal and I was able to do this. Now, back to the memories part- right now I'm watching a rerun of The Walton's. it's the 1975 episode of Mary Ellen wanting to go to nursing school and how much I wanted to go. I will never forget the application process at GSPN. I will never forget when I got the letter telling me I was selected as an alternate. I thought it was over and I wouldn't get in. I was job hunting. I was about to settle for a job at Firestone (a factory near my home which went elsewhere a couple years later) when I got a call- just a few days before the class of 1978 was to begin- someone  had dropped out and their spot became mine! I was in and the rest is history! 

I love The Walton's. I love nursing. I was excited to see this episode. I remember the fear that I wouldn't know what to do or how to do it. But I made it. And now almost 35 years after I graduated GSPN, I am happy at how things turned out. I'm happy about where I've worked, the things I've done, and if I could go all the way back, I'd do it all again. 

I love all y'all! ❤

To be continued.....

These ladies helped me become a nurse.  Miss Gooch, Mrs Adams, Mrs Kronemeyer, Mrs Page and Mrs Forrest. I will never forget them. This photo is not mine, I found it on line. 

Memories of a time when...

Some days there are fun to think about times when I was young. One of those times was 31 years ago when I bought my first car all by myself without any help from Pap (who nearly 'busted' a gasket). How could I buy a Dodge?!! It was easy!  Back up a bit....

Late winter 1982 passing a now non existent car lot on the bypass....looking left every time I passed....one day this car caught my eye. It was beautiful! It was sporty, good size but not a tank. I stopped and saw it had a clutch. I was so sad. I'd never driven a 5-speed before. What seemed like years passed but it was only a week or two. It was still there calling my name. Donna said you can drive it. I know you can. I will teach you. Well, I bought the car much to the dismay of my dad. You'd have thought I'd committed treason for buying a non GM product! He got over it though! I couldn't drive it off the lot the day I bought it but with in a short time Donna had me zooming around without a hitch. Within the first year I had to replace the clutch. :( but hey! It was mine!! Who knows, I might still be driving that car today had someone (NOT me!) not totaled it out on Beech Bend Road... Poor car!! 

I love all y'all! ❤

To be continued....

This is not my picture but this is exactly what my car looked like.... I love google! 

More Rain

We are having a little rain shower this morning. So far it's been barely enough to wet the sidewalk. Been thinking about what Brother Vernon preached yesterday. He's been getting some people's attention for sure! Mine included! Oh, Samantha won't you please quit thinking through this and go with your heart! You know, there's a song that one verse says "When we've been there ten thousand years bright shinning as the sun we've no less days to sing Gods grace than when we first begun." Think about that. Ten thousand years as one day. If you're in hell it will be ten thousand years for you too. And you've just begun too. My 54 years seems like a long time. I can't imaging 54 minutes in hell much less 54 years or ten thousand! It hurts to burn yourself. I just can't fathom the torment of spending eternity in an eternal flame. That rich man who wouldn't help the poor man with so much as a crumb has been there over two thousand years and he's just getting started too. Please don't put off finding God for yourself! If you don't know Him, your knees is a good place to start!! Lots and lots of people think Salvation, Heaven and hell are a fairy tale. It's not. And if you don't believe, one day you will!

 

From the book of John:

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”^[d]

I love all y'all!❤

To be continued....

It's the middle of May!

It's difficult to realize May is half over and in six short weeks 2013 will be half over! When I was a child, it seemed as if summers were 6 months long a year took 2 or 3 years to pass. Then I turned 16. I felt that I couldn't wait to turn 18. What was with that anyway!??  Now that I'm almost 54, it seems though a year passes in no time! What a difference time makes! Four years ago Rick and I were sprucing up the place. We pulled up the carpet in the bedroom and had hardwood placed, we had the rest of the hardwood refinished, he did a lot if stuff outside. We had no clue what was just a few months away. 

Revival started at our church Monday night. I was able to be there last night for the first time. If I get to stay on call, I will get to be there tonight. Last night, my breath seemed so short. And if I stand for more than a couple minutes, my legs get so weak that I'm not sure I can walk far. If I continue to stand when that starts, I begin to get so flushed and my skin gets so clammy. Then I begin to feel like I'm about to faint.  Is that hot flashes? I feel short of breath at night, but with my CPAP on, I am able to sleep fairly flat, so it makes me think its not heart related. 

It's such a beautiful day! The sun is shinning! It's warm! Where besides KY can you have frost on Monday morning and record breaking heat 2 days later lol! 

Y'all have a very blessed day!

I love all y'all! ❤

To be continued.....

  New fiesta color coming out next month! I see a birthday present for myself in my near future....

It's no wonder folks get confused

*Warning - this post is full of opinion! Mine! You may voice your own opinion on your own blog or Facebook post. Comments are welcome but be warned- be nice or the comment will be removed. 

It's no wonder to me why folks seem to be so confused. I've been watching Sister Act movies today. They happen to be on WE TV on satellite TV. I really enjoy  some of their programming. But, some of it is very questionable! For instance: "Pregnant and Dating" - seriously! That is a new TV show for their network.  And some of their ads are so graphic! And other shows I see ads for on their network! Very R-rated! Am I showing my age or are we as a nation so far from God that we allow this stuff and call it entertainment?!!  I'm sorry- I know things happen sometimes and I'm not saying I'm perfect! I'm not! I was expecting Valarie when Rick and I married. We made mistakes and will answer for those!! I've received forgiveness from the One who matters and I'm not saying these people haven't but to have this as a TV show just seems outrageous to me and I certainly won't be watching it! I also won't be watching Joan Rivers show! Their ads are gross and need R-rating just for the ads!! 

And then another topic of concern to me is the President calling an athlete for a professional team to congratulate him on his "coming out" of the closet and the media promoting this and denouncing Tim Tebow for praying before and during games! Seems backwards to me! I'm not 'throwing off' on gays. I was raised in the Bible Belt and raised in an old time God   fearing church and I believe it's wrong! People I love dearly profess to be gay. I still love them. However; I don't love or condone their behavior! Some say sin is sin and who am I to say one is more wrong than another. I'm not saying that. I'm simply saying I believe it's wrong. Period. 

I am certain I will take flack for this post. I might not know about it; but I'm sure I will receive it!! 

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20 KJV)

16 Jeremiah 

Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Please pray for our nation to return to the old paths that He might guide our steps!! 

I love all y'all!❤

To be continued....

          Me a very long time ago!

It's a wrap

As this work week comes to a close I will update on a couple of things. First, the job went to someone else. It obviously wasn't meant to be. I guess I read more into things that were said than was actually meant by what was said. I was invited to reapply for the next opening that is expected this summer. I really don't think so. Twice applied. Twice someone else got the job. Won't be a third. I will stay in CCU. I love working there. I love taking care if critically ill people. I do that because I can. I mean by that- I do it because I understand it. I'm good at it. (No, I'm not bragging about that, I AM good at it, it's a fact). I've been a critical care nurse so long that I really seriously don't believe I could do anything else. I've been certified as a critical care registered nurse (CCRN) since February 1985. And, although I truly believed a door was being opened for me and I opened it and tried to walk through, God has other plans. I will try not to let my plan be His. :)

Next. Aspartame free update. It has been several weeks now without any aspartame. I do not crave diet coke or coke zero. I do drink 1 or 2 regular cokes a day most days. I do need to try to wean down to 1 or none instead of up to 2.  Some of the benefits I thought I was getting though had to have been caused by the Medrol Dose Pack I took about the same time I quit the diet coke. While I still feel better than before, I do have bum knees and the shortness of breath has returned. But I will be fine. It's all good!  :)

Miller Hill (Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist) Church begins revival services this Monday night at 7pm. Everyone welcome! 

I love all y'all! ❤

To be continued!

Happy Mothers Day Nana! (My mom)

Good May memories!

Eleven years ago this week I was in Atlanta at a nursing convention. I called home and talked to Rick. I said 'who are you and what have you done with my husband?' He just laughed. I got home on Thursday. He was a different man than the one I left on Saturday morning. His whole disposition had changed. It was a good thing!!  On Sunday morning at Nana's my mom said how different he was and how she really believed he got saved in his garden. I said what was she talking about then I asked him about it. I'd been home since Thursday afternoon and he'd not realized he had told everyone this side of green river except me. I noticed the difference in his behavior. I just didn't know exactly what had happened. A couple weeks passed and a revival started at Stockholm. We went. That was our first experience with Bro. Danny Dixon. He preached the word to an eleven year old boy and the day after my birthday he got down to business and wasn't there long. He looked up at me and said The Lord told him he was saved. I ❤ May!! 

I'm going to see Iron Man 3 today then I'm going to Val's for Livvy's second birthday party. Yesterday was her birthday but today is her party. It's hard to believe she's 2 already. 

I love all y'all!❤ 

To be continued......

Happy Nurses Day!

Today is May 6. This is a day someone set aside to recognize nurses for the contribution we make. Then someone decided to make "Nurses Week" which begins on Nurses Day (May 6) and ends on May 12 which is also the birthday of the founder of "modern nursing" Florence Nightingale. At our capping ceremony and at graduation from LPN then RN school and at various celebrations over my 36 years in nursing (including student nurse years) I have recited the following pledge. I said it from my heart and I meant every word:

"I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care."

Some of that pledge is now considered "old fashioned" and that's what I am - "old fashioned"! Even back then Florence thought of nursing as a profession. We are not waitresses or 'hand maids' - we are nurses and we take care of our patients 24 hours a day 7 days a week. We are cussed at, yelled at, talked to like we are dogs sometimes and yet we come back for more. But it's not all bad because there are many more over the years who smile through their pain and say thank you for helping me. I have had my hands (gloved of course now days) in places you couldn't even imagine unless you're one of us. Every time I go into a room ('my' room or not) I am assessing that patient for pain, stability of vital signs, IV sites, breathing patterns, and the family for understanding. EVERY TIME!! And there are rules for a reason and when we ask you not to bring your small child or baby into critical care, it's not to be mean or bossy or 'control' its for the safety of your child!! Critical care can be a scary place and babies don't need nightmare images of someone they love hooked up to scary machines! And they don't need to catch C. Diff!! or VRE or MRSA! Or some other big bad bug that's resistant to medication!! Yes, hospitals are supposed to be clean. Someone is always cleaning. But people are sick when they are in the hospital and we can't control who washes their hands and what they touch!!

Today is also the second birthday of my youngest grandchild, Miss Olivia Rhea Sullivan. And let me tell you, Miss Livvy is certainly her mothers daughter! Gamma loves you Livvy!

I love all y'all!!❤
To be continued....

Early Morning

I woke before my alarm this morning. I'm just sitting outside enjoying the early morning. I've been up a couple if hours now. It's 6am. Nick has already loaded up and gone to get started mowing. He's had a busy week.

I found IGA brand generic K-cups for a great price yesterday. I'm on my second cup of coffee now! And, instead of buying one of those expensive K-cup holders, I repurposed an old spice rack that Rick gave me for Christmas about 10 years ago. It holds 16 K-cups.

I'm feeling ok this morning. No chest or throat tightness or esophageal spasms. Not much shortness if breath. Maybe I will live after all! Now, if the job lines out.....

"Iron Man 3" opens today. I plan to be there! I've been waiting for this!! And I really hope they make another?!! And another Avengers! We will see! Also the next "Star Trek Into Darkness" is going to be out in a week or so. I want to see it too!

Please remember everyone you know/love in your prayers. There is a desperate need for prayer. People I love are going through various life events. There are changes daily and He knows all! Please ask Him for comfort for them all!!

I love all y'all! ❤
To be continued....

Second Interview

Well, it's over. The second interview, that is. I don't have a lot of being interviewed experience. What that means is I have no clue how it went. I am familiar with all the folks who interviewed me. Just couldn't read them. And, if I get the job, it will mean leaving CCU. For the first time since August 1980 I won't work in a critical care area. And though I need the change for many reasons, if I don't get it I won't be as disappointed as I would have been had it been Kristie's job. If it is offered, I will take it. I'm not quite as optimistic as I was a couple weeks ago- especially after today. We will see.

The past couple of days have been better breathing-wise. Hopefully that's all better now.

I am so glad spring finally sprung! Although, we do still have blackberry winter to contend with!

I think that is all for today!

I love all y'all! ❤
To be continued....